* Press release…
Constellation and Meta have signed a 20-year power purchase agreement (PPA) for the output of the Clinton Clean Energy Center to support Meta’s clean energy goals and operations in the region with 1,121 megawatts of emissions-free nuclear energy. Beginning in June of 2027, the agreement supports the relicensing and continued operations of Constellation’s high-performing Clinton nuclear facility for another two decades after the state’s ratepayer funded zero emission credit (ZEC) program expires. This deal will expand Clinton’s clean energy output by 30 megawatts through plant uprates; preserve 1,100 high-paying local jobs; deliver $13.5 million in annual tax revenue; and add $1 million in charitable giving to local nonprofits over five years. […]
The Clinton Clean Energy Center was slated for premature closure in 2017 after years of financial losses, despite being one of the best performing nuclear plants in Illinois. Clinton’s retirement was prevented by enactment of the Future Energy Jobs Act, which established a Zero Emission Credit program that provides financial support to the plant through mid-2027. Constellation’s agreement with Meta is a market-based solution that essentially replaces the ZEC program and ensures long-term operations of the plant without ratepayer support. The PPA will enable the Clinton Clean Energy Center to continue to flow power onto the local grid, providing grid reliability and low-cost power to the region for decades to come. Meta is purchasing the plant’s clean energy attributes as part of its commitment to match 100% of its electricity use with clean and renewable energy.
The Clinton Clean Energy Center’s economic and environmental impacts are significant. The Center directly employs over 530 people, contributes approximately $13.5 million in annual taxes, and generates enough carbon-free electricity to power over 800,000 homes. An analysis by The Brattle Group found that shuttering Clinton would raise emissions by more than 34 million metric tons of carbon over 20 years, the equivalent to putting approximately 7.4 million gasoline-powered cars on the road for a year. The same report found that Illinois’ GDP would drop by $765 million annually, impacting businesses and jobs across multiple industries. Constellation’s deal with Meta prevents these impacts.
…Adding… FERC shot down the last attempt to do this…
On 1 November 2024, the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC) rejected amendments to an interconnection agreement that would have increased the Susquehanna nuclear power plant’s capacity dedicated to serving an on-site data center. Three commissioners participated in the decision. The order, written by Republicans Mark Christie and Lindsay See, concluded that the grid operator failed to meet the high burden of proving the necessity of the amendments. Democratic Chairman Willie Phillips dissented, arguing that the co-located load configuration presented exactly the reliability and legal issues that justified the need for the amendments. The remaining two Democratic commissioners, David Rosner and Judy Chang, did not participate in the decision.
* Meanwhile, the Sun-Times took a look at why the omnibus energy bill failed to pass this spring…
Sen. Bill Cunningham, a Democrat who represents the Southwest Side and surrounding suburbs, said he hopes to try again to pass a bill when the Legislature meets for the fall veto session.
“We are very close to an agreement,” Cunningham said.
Phillip Golden, chairman of Illinois Industrial Energy Consumers, suggests the state look at how Texas is funding renewable energy and battery storage with a mix of financial tools that don’t require ratepayers to foot the bill. His organization represents 20 of the state’s biggest power users, he said.
Jim Watson, a former state lawmaker who heads the Illinois branch of the American Petroleum Institute, also cited Texas as a potential model for Illinois. While his members want relief from the rising electric bills, “I think the pause was reasonable,” he said, referring to the decision to not push the bill toward a vote.
Lots more, so click here.
- New Day - Tuesday, Jun 3, 25 @ 12:51 pm:
We are facing a significant capacity shortage in the Ameren territory. This won’t help.
As to the Sun-times story, totally wrong, misguided and unbalanced. Just take wildly misleading talking points and ignoring the long term consumer savings impact of storage. Storage will save consumers billions according not just to the studies that have been done in IL but also the experience of other states. This isn’t a close call.
- Politically_Illinois - Tuesday, Jun 3, 25 @ 12:58 pm:
I was also frustrated by that Sun-Times article this morning. They didn’t really interrogate the claims of the business groups or provide any evidence for those claims. Frustrating to see them just take their press releases at face value. This a democratic majority that can’t fund transit or schools and can’t build housing or energy to save their lives. Highly, highly disappointed in their leadership.
- Michael McLean - Tuesday, Jun 3, 25 @ 1:09 pm:
===…Adding… FERC shot down the last attempt to do this…
===
Not exactly. Susquehanna was a colocation ‘behind-the-meter’ deal where the data center was attempting to avoid to pay for transmission and distribution charges.
This Meta deal is a power purchase agreement for data centers that are not connected directly to the plant switchyard.
If Meta is buying 100% of the generating capacity from Clinton over the next 20 years, and the 30 megawatt uprate, I’m estimating the notional value of this deal is up to ~$20 Billion. And that’s just *one reactor*. Illinois still has 10 more!
This is why we need to seriously look at building more large light water plants. In the Bloomberg report, they say Dominguez is considering building more at Clinton ‘up to an AP1000′. This would be the largest capital project in the state if it happens.
https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2025-06-03/facebook-owner-meta-to-buy-nuclear-power-from-constellation-as-ai-demand-soars
- Oklahoma - Tuesday, Jun 3, 25 @ 1:12 pm:
“that don’t require ratepayers to foot the bill.”
Unless it’s selling bananas, ratepayers are paying one way or another.
- clinton - Tuesday, Jun 3, 25 @ 2:16 pm:
Michael McLean is correct on the FERC ruling, this is a different type of deal that likely doesn’t need approval from anyone. The main impact is that Clinton won’t need state support when the ZEC program expires (might not have needed it anyway but this ensures it).
- Cy - Tuesday, Jun 3, 25 @ 2:34 pm:
More demand on the already overstretched MISO grid, that will cause prices to go up for everyone.
- Clinton - Tuesday, Jun 3, 25 @ 2:37 pm:
How? It’s Meta buying the output instead of the IPA.
- Oklahoma - Tuesday, Jun 3, 25 @ 2:57 pm:
That was a response to the Texas reference from the industrial energy consumers representative. Where ratepayers pay energy only instead of capacity. They still pay.
- Cy - Tuesday, Jun 3, 25 @ 4:03 pm:
Unless I’m misunderstanding the press release, it says 1,121 megawatts will be purchased by Meta while the plant will be upgraded to produce just 30 new megawatts of generation. So that’s 1,091 megawatts that used to go on the grid that will now be consumed by one customer. How does that reduction in supply not cause rates to go up? I guess not paying for the ZECs provides relief to ratepayers. Is it a wash? I’d like to see the math.
- Sort of Sox fan - Tuesday, Jun 3, 25 @ 4:07 pm:
What Clinton said! As much as wind and solar folks want to close their eyes and cover their ears, we will never meet our clean energy goals without nuclear. The governor and legislators should stop talking out of both sides of their mouths. Don’t paint nuclear energy as the one always coming hat in hand looking for financial assistance, while at the same time denying them the opportunity to become financially independent through direct contracting and co-locating heavy load users. You were willing to lift the moratorium, but you’re not willing to allow nuclear facilities to be economically independent of state funds? You want to control the destiny of the nuclear plants. If they survive separate of government assistance, government will never be able to close them because that’s what so many legislators really want. But how do you do that when sun and wind won’t supply enough power for illinois to keep the lights on? The moratorium only makes sense if nukes can make money, and the only way that happens is if it works on the balance sheet without govt handouts. This meta deal is good, and hooefully the first of many.
- The Farm Grad - Tuesday, Jun 3, 25 @ 4:11 pm:
Obvious question is…
How much will Meta be paying per kWh (inclusive of generation/transmission/distribution) in five years, versus how much Juan Guzman of Chicago will be paying for the same electricity.
In the recent past, these deals have been criticized because data centers get cost certainty, while consumers have ended up paying far more than these firms
- PoliticsD - Tuesday, Jun 3, 25 @ 4:21 pm:
Going to continue to offer plant in capacity market?
- Michael McLean - Thursday, Jun 5, 25 @ 12:46 pm:
===How much will Meta be paying per kWh ===
That Meta is striking this deal at all is an indicator of where the puck is moving. They just locked in a 20 year hedge against high power prices. If its anything like the Three Mile Island deal, they could be paying up to $110/mwh just for the generation here. They would still be subject to transmission/distribution rates from Ameren if their data centers are here. But I’m guessing their data centers are somewhere else in MISO, probably Louisiana.
https://www.opportunitylouisiana.gov/news/meta-selects-northeast-louisiana-as-site-of-10-billion-artificial-intelligence-optimized-data-center-governor-jeff-landry-calls-investment-a-new-chapter-for-state
Back in 2021, Illinois municipalities had the opportunity of a lifetime to save the Exelon nukes by purchasing equity in the plants. This would have ensured long term low-carbon, low-cost electricity for their people, for generations into the future. The state intervened with a contract-for-difference, which emulated what that future could have looked like. But it expires in June 2027.